Andrew Goudelock

-- Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick reports that "Minnesota General Manager David Kahn Minnesota is still attempting to land Gasol, and that push is likely to continue all the way until the deadline. " -- The Times' Mike Bresnahan explains why the Lakers have improved their play. -- The Orange County Register's Janis Carr focuses on Andrew Goudelock's progression as a rookie. -- The Detroit Free Press' Vince Ellis talks to Tayshaun Prince about winning the 2004 NBA Finals against the Lakers.

Everybody ready for the Lakers' starting backcourt of Steve Blake and Jodie Meeks? Which means Steve Nash will not play Sunday against San Antonio. The Lakers don't have many other options for their starting guards. Kobe Bryant will miss his first game since sustaining a torn left Achilles' tendon and Nash will be sidelined a seventh game because of a strained hamstring. "He feels a little bit better today, not good enough to go [tonight]," Lakers Coach Mike D'Antoni said of Nash.

Once again Kobe Bryant sat out Lakers practice Saturday with a bruised foot. Once again he watched practice and received treatment. Will he make it opening night Tuesday at Staples Center against the Dallas Mavericks? "I don't know," said Coach Mike Brown. "It wouldn't surprise me if he did. " Bryant hurt the foot last Sunday in a preseason game against the Sacramento Kings, sitting out the final two exhibitions as the Lakers went 0-8. Teammate Pau Gasol echoed Brown's sentiment.

Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss deserve a vacation. A long and relaxing one. The Lakers announced Jodie Meeks and Devin Ebanks signed with the Lakers on Monday, making their roster pretty much complete. The team now has 14 players under contract. They field a star-studded starting lineup in Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace. They added critical reserve pieces in Antawn Jamsion and Jordan Hill. With Meeks signing a two-year, $3-million deal, the Lakers acquired a definitive backup shooting guard who could lower Bryant's minutes and provide needed outside shooting.

Too many issues surround the Lakers. How will the Lakers absorb Metta World Peace's seven-game suspension? Will Andrew Bynum's aggressiveness become consistent? How will the Lakers look in the playoffs with a bench featuring Devin Ebanks and Jordan Hill? The Lakers will soon find out how well they manage all those uncertainties. But here's a dosage of good news: the Lakers officially have the No. 3 seeding in the Western Conference. Now don't expect the Lakers to hang their 23rd Pacific Division title banner in the Staples Center rafters after the Clippers lost Tuesday in Atlanta.

Doc Rivers, the straight-shooting coach of the Celtics, has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for his criticism of the referees following Game 2 of Boston's playoff series against the New York Knicks, who have a 2-0 lead following an 87-71 victory Wednesday night. Rivers is candid in giving his responses to questions, and evidently league officials didn't like how he answered when asked about Celtics center Kevin Garnett's drawing two fouls in an 18-second span a little more than three minutes into the game.

Although he was cleared Tuesday for full-court five-on-five scrimmages with limited minutes, center Dwight Howard won't play in the Lakers' second exhibition game, Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers in Ontario. The Lakers haven't provided a firm timetable on when he will play. But Howard has maintained throughout the last week in training camp that he won't play in a game until his surgically repaired back is fully ready. Still, Howard changed his opinion on the importance of appearing in any of the seven remaining exhibition games.

As a trade cloud swirled around him yet again, Andrew Bynum was in the largest, least densely populated state in the U.S. He was relaxing on a week-long fishing trip in Alaska with his agent, even pulling some halibut out of the ocean Tuesday as the Lakers re-engaged in trade talks with the Orlando Magic for unhappy center Dwight Howard. Bynum would be the centerpiece of a deal involving Orlando, though nothing was imminent Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Lakers were trying to hook free-agent forward Antawn Jamison, who would immediately help boost scoring among their punchless reserves.

The Lakers (44-37) had a perfect Week 24, winning all four games. Unfortunately the team also lost Kobe Bryant for the season with a torn Achilles' tendon. Currently in eighth place, the Lakers are 1 1/2 games ahead of the 42-38 Utah Jazz. If the Lakers win their final game of the regular season, they'll make the playoffs. If the Jazz lose one of their two remaining games, the Lakers will make the postseason. If the Lakers lose on Wednesday and the Jazz win in Minnesota and Memphis, the Lakers' season will come to a halt.

This is the 10th post in a series awarding midseason grades to some of the Lakers . This focuses on the rookies. Player: Darius Morris How he did: 2.7 points on 52% in 10.3 minutes through 13 games. Good: Even with his limited playing time, Morris shows potential with his play-making abilities and athleticism. He hasn't let his limited role detract him from working hard. Morris routinely stays after practice to work on shots and often arrives early for pregame warmups.